Posing on Tuesday; Pyramid Pose

It's a thing now. Every weekend, Panda comes outside with me and helps me with my pose breakdown photos. Her approval is essential.

I have yet another amazing pose for y'all this week. It doesn't require balancing on one leg and wrapping your arms around your back. It's easy peasy, and it feels lovely. I promise.

PYRAMID POSE
(Parsvottanasana)

also called 'intense side stretch", which, frankly, I don't understand because your sides are not stretching, or forehead to knee pose.

Why does this pose have so many names???

Start with your feet wider than hip-distance apart, but not "wide apart"

Turn your front foot to face the front of your mat and your back foot in about 45 degrees,

Turn your hips to face the front of your mat and lift your arms up along side your ears.

Keeping your hips facing the front of your mat, fold forward and let your hands fall where they may. If you have two blocks, you can put one on either side of your front foot as you fold. If you don't have two blocks, and your hands don't reach the floor, you can rest your hands on your leg.

Once you're in the pose, you want to constantly be working on squaring your hips to the front of your mat. You can do this by pulling back on the hip of your front leg and pulling forward on the hip of your back leg.
Make sense?

If you're not convinced just by doing this pose of its marvelousness, let me tell you a little more about it...

First, it is an amazing hamstring stretch. UH-MAZE-ING. The best ever, if you want me to go all bias on you.

Next, this pose actually calms the brain - like folding forward is the physical embodiment of a huge sigh of relief.

Also, this pose - and other forward folds - stimulate the abdominal organs, so if you have stomach issues, think about integrating some forward folds into your routine. You'll probably start to feel better.

Variations

My hands are in the simplest version of the pose in the above pictures - mostly because I was not warmed up. Also possibly because I may have totally spaced. We'll never know.

Here are some other arm options you may want to consider...

The first option is to grab your elbows behind your back. Second is to interlace your fingers behind your back and lift your hands away from your back. And the third option is everyone's least favorite, reverse namaste AKA reverse prayer. All are welcome to try this one - just like all of the poses - but if you get halfway into it and your wrists or shoulders start yelling at you to back the F off, please listen to them.

Ok, I think that covers it. What do you think? Want to try?